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Saturday, May 12, 2012

A DC man found his stolen bike for sale on Craigslist. He says he called police but they couldn't do anything about it -- so he took matters into his own hands.

Danny Lesh is an avid cyclist -- and now he's also somewhat of a vigilante, after he found his stolen bike online and managed to get it back.

Lesh's Cannondale hybrid was stolen after he loaned it to a friend who'd secured it with a cable lock, which are easy to cut if you're a theft with a pair of boltcutters handy.

But Lesh located the bike on Craiglist shortly after last weekend's theft -- his bike had a prominent sticker on it, so he was certain it was his.

The ad asked for $100, and Lesh called the police, who told him they wouldn't be able to respond right away. But Lesh, who'd paid $600 for it back in 1998, wasn't about to let someone else end up with his bike.

It has happened over and over again, you see the same people biking to work while you bike to work. You wave and smile, just to see them again the next day. It's getting awkward. You don't know their name, but you know their bike like the back of your handlebars.

We have the solution: Bicycle Calling Cards! Break the awkwardness and introduce yourself! Better yet, start riding together! Get to know each other! Make friends! Make the world a bit less awkward!

You get 10 beautiful letterpress cards, in assorted colors. We printed these using hand-set antique lead type on a vintage Kelsey press on French paper. We promise you will love them.

To men, the bicycle in the beginning was merely a new toy, another machine added to the long list of devices they knew in their work and play.

To women, it was a steed upon which they rode into a new world.

Unfortunately, in the United States of today, women are not riding that steed in numbers proportionate to their presence in the population. According to the most recent figures from the Alliance for Biking and Walking, only 24 percent of the bicycle trips in the country are made by women. In countries with better biking infrastructure and education, such as the Netherlands and Germany, women and men ride bikes in roughly equal numbers.

We're no stranger to e-bikes here, but most of the examples we've seen so far have very much been meant for A-to-B rides. Audi's aiming to fix that with its e-bike Wörthersee prototype. The carbon fiber transport not only has a strong 2.3kW motor -- the most powerful ever in a bike, so says Audi -- but can use that power for tricks. You can flick the Wörthersee into a wheelie mode and either shift your weight around or leave it fully automatic, depending on the fierceness of your stunt skills. Not that it'll be a timid ride if you prefer to keep both wheels on the ground, as a motor-assisted pedaling mode will take you up to 50MPH, and you can still ride at 31MPH if you're not keen on using your legs. That's faster than the already speedy Grace One City we tried, folks. The vorsprung durch technik also comes through a smartphone tie-in, although in a much more stunt-savvy way than the app- and tuning-focused Ford E-Bike Concept: it tracks video and trick runs, both for its own game system and for bragging rights on Facebook.

Friday, May 11, 2012

A true multi-tasker for anything from commuting to a weekend camping trek down the coast with loaded panniers, the Source Eleven does it all anytime, anywhere with disc brakes and integrated lights, rack, and fenders; plus 11-speed Shimano Alfine internal gearing with belt drive for the ultimate in low-maintenance efficiency.All-new, super light E5 fully-manipulated alloy frame is built for high speed, low-fuss, and great versatility, with tapered head tube, internal routing, rack/fender mounts, and wide tire clearance; Plus open rear triangle for belt drive.

The Cap2Cap is the Virginia Capital Trail Foundation’s largest fundraiser of the year. It is a cycling event with two starting locations (Richmond and Williamsburg), and three different distances (100, 50 or 25 miles) to choose from. There is also a 15-mile Family Ride on the Virginia Capital Trail in Jamestown.The Cap2Cap is a ride. There are rest stops along the way, and riders are encouraged to enjoy riding through the beautiful scenery at their own comfortable pace. Of course, be safe and observe the rules of the road while doing so.

Salsa Cycles, in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, announced a voluntary recall of approximately 1,100 of its Minimalist Racks due to a potential hardware issue. The L-shaped bracket that attaches the rack to the front fork can fail, resulting in potential harm to the cyclist. There have been two reports of them breaking, with minor injuries to the rider, as a consequence.

Racks sold after January of 2011 are affected. Both black and silver models are made of tubular aluminum and can function on the front or back of a bicycle. The silver metal “strap” is the problem hardware. Owners should remove the rack immediately and contact a Salsa dealer for inspection and possible refund.

OK. Now that the video is out, let’s move on to the actual ride – yes, there’s a ride – it’s called the Gravel Metric. This is the website.

Route:
The route is finalized. We’re happy with the minor changes we’ve made. We circumvented the landfill, added a mile of unroad, and kept the rest the same. We’re going to have the turns marked with stakes. The stakes will have one bar for right turns, two bars for left turns, and will be marked with brightly colored tape. There will be no other route markers.

Cue Sheets:We are screen-printing bandannas as cue sheets. These are going to be super cool. We’ll be selling them for $10 to raise money for our new non-profit (AXLETREE). If you’d like to download the gpx for your GPS, you can find it here. If you can’t afford a $10 cue sheet (a sweet, handmade, reusable bandanna cue sheet), or if you have something against non-profits, you can print out your own cue sheet here and then go get a job.
We do not plan on having paper cue sheets, so you’ve been warned.

Parking
In years past, we’ve had the luxury of using the Post Office parking lot next door, but they’ve gated it to thwart vandals (correlation?). We have permission to use a few of the surrounding lots and we want to reserve open spots for our neighbors, so please park in the green lots:
If you park in a red lot, we will call you out with the bullhorn at the start of the ride and the start will be delayed until you move your car. Friends don’t let friends park in the red lots.

Staging
After you’ve parked, come into the shop to sign in. Be sure to print out your waiver and complete it before you get here. When you’re ready to ride, line up in the “Staging” lot behind NCC. We’ll be rolling out at 9am from that lot. We’ll have a police escort through town. The route officially begins when we reach Twombly Rd.

Doing your business
This year, we’ll have Port-a-Pots ready for your business needs. Please use them. Please refrain from using the restrooms in NCC.
If you… bullhorn… etc.

The Lancaster Cause (TLC) is a nonprofit organization committed to making Lancaster and Fairfield County a better place in which to live. TLC will respond to community-wide needs by raising awareness, organizing fundraising events, and donating to the cause. Our current goal is to eliminate the harmful effects of heroin and opiate addiction in our community.

Local Issues:

According to the Ohio Department of Health, drug overdoses claimed 1,458 lives in 2008. This exceeded automobile deaths and was the number one cause of accidental death in OhioHeroin use among adolescents and young adults starts with the abuse of prescription opiates like Oxycontin and Vicodin. The 2008 Fairfield County Youth Survey reveals that 23% of all 12th graders had used someone else’s prescription drug at some point in their life and that 7% of seniors had used illegal prescription drugs within the past month

Nationally, more teens say that prescription drugs are easier to buy than beer (19% vs. 15%)

Between 2002 and 2008 there was a 775% increase in the number of persons seeking treatment for heroin and opiate addiction in Fairfield County.

The Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office estimates that 52% of all 2008 jail days were accounted for by heroin and opiate addicts. The cumulative cost of these days to the taxpayers of Fairfield County was $2.5 Million.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

NuVinci® N360™

The First NuVinci Drivetrain Made History in 2007.NuVinciN360 Rewrote it.

It’s based on the original. But that’s where the similarities end. For starters, the NuVinci N360 drivetrain is considerably smaller and dramatically lighter… 17% smaller and over 30% lighter! Ratio range is wider, 360%, supporting among the lowest of low ratios and the most demanding of high ratios, with literally everything in between. Shifting is significantly smoother, even under high pedal force. Shift grip rotation is half that of its award-winning predecessor. The hub interface is now inboard the frame dropout for better protection and more elegant appearance. And a new sleek shifter and unique “inchworm and rider” display make it even more intuitive and easier to shift than ever. All making the N360 ideal for a wide range of bikes and cyclists…from casual, recreational riders to the most demanding experts.

N360-equipped bicycles and e-Bikes offer riders a quiet, comfortable ride like no other. Adjusting ratio to the terrain and the individual’s riding style is as easy as adjusting the volume on a radio. It’s the perfect drivetrain for those looking for a smoother, simpler, more enjoyable ride, and for anyone ready to move beyond the complexities and limitations of conventional shifting.

Bicycling is such an integral part of life in the Netherlands, you might think that Dutch people are born knowing how to cycle.

They aren’t, of course. What’s kind of wonderful is the way that they learn.

It’s not just a matter of going to the park with a parent, getting a push, and falling down a bunch of times until you can pedal on your own. Dutch children are expected to learn and follow the rules of the road, because starting in secondary school – at age 12 – they are expected to be able to ride their bikes on their own to school, sometimes as far as nine or 10 miles.

Because this independent travel for children is valued in Dutch society, education about traffic safety is something that every Dutch child receives. There's even a bicycle road test that Dutch children are required to take at age 12 in order to prove that they are responsible cycling citizens.

Harry Geyer has put the wheels in motion to recycle a Homewood warehouse into an indoor playground for bicyclists.

Construction is under way on The Wheel Mill, an 80,000-square-foot indoor bike park on Hamilton Avenue that will include mountain biking trails, a BMX trick park, an area for beginners, a spin class area, lounge and -- if space permits -- a velodrome, or cycling track. The building formerly housed Linett Co. Inc., a metal fabrication company.

"Our business model is part amusement park, part ski resort and part fitness club," said Geyer, 39, of Lawrenceville. "You don't have to have any skill, and you can't do it anywhere else. It's going to be a lot of fun."

Geyer, owner of Geyer Construction, a salvage lumber and restoration company in Lawrenceville, is renting the building from owner Howard Berger. He's unsure of the exact cost to transform the space, but said he has a profitable business plan.

Torch is a new brand that focuses on lit apparel for the urban rider and skater who's not afraid to have fun after dark. The T1 helmet, our first product, is unique as it draws attention to the rider at night by elevating the light signature above city traffic.

In addition to our primary goal of safety, we focused on creating a helmet with a clean, iconic style geared towards urban riders. To achieve this we started with a classic silhouette and kept the details simple.

The helmet will be produced using an in-mold technique with a thin polycarbonate shell and an expanded polystyrene body. This method creates a very light, yet strong helmet. Torch will also include an adjustable system for a more accurate fit, making the helmet safer and more comfortable.

The helmet features front and rear lenses which the LEDs project onto. This projection method is important as it disperses the light across the lens. This creates increased visibility and brighter light from wider viewing angles. The lenses also protect the LEDs from water, dust, and debris; as you see in the video.

The helmet will be available in three exterior colors (red, black, or white) plus a special Midnight Edition (black with smoked lenses). Torch will be fully CPSC/CE certified and retail for around $100. We are offering a discount to our Kickstarter backers because without your support we cannot make Torch a reality. All funds raised on Kickstarter will go towards tooling, initial production, packaging, and domestic shipping to our backers.

We would like to thank our backers, and everyone who has been involved in the amazing process of the development of Torch. With your help we can make cycling safer !

There’s been not a little controversy about the cost of New York’s bike share since the program was unveiled this week — much huffing and puffing about how an afternoon’s ride would cost you a C-note. The city Department of Transportation notes that bike share is not intended for four-hour rides, any more than a taxi ride should last four hours. If you need a car for four hours, you can rent one. If you need a bike for four hours, you can rent one too — just not a bike share. And Matt Seaton takes a comparative look in the Guardian today

Their point is: this is transportation, not recreation.

But still, New York’s rates are among the highest in the world , as far we can tell. The annual fee is $95 — a bit above most other annual rates, which range from $70 to $80. Still –the New York bike share annual membership is cheaper than a monthly Metrocard, as the NYC DOT likes to point out.

But the $4 cost of an hour ride in New York will be more than twice that of the roughly $1.50 it costs in Washington, DC, Boston and London — as it will in Chicago, when that city’s bike share launches in late summer.